A publication of :Ethiopia S :Eritrea RPCVs, - an affiliate of the National Peace Corps Association The HE Winter 2000/2001 - Number 22

The New Peace Treaty

by Hayward Allen (Ha rar 62-64 )

peace: n. a state of quiet or tranquility; absence invade what he called "Italy 's breadbasket. " After of civil disturbance or agitation; freedom from or the Italian military were removed from both cessation of war or hostilities; a state of friendli­ countries after World War II, there was the amal­ ness; calmness of mind . .. gamation of Eritrea and Ethiopia under Haile Selassie's aegis. treaty: n. an agreement formally concluded and Inside ratifi ed between different states; negotiation, the The Eritrean struggle for independence is dated Sum mit 4 act of treating for the adjustment of differences . .. from the day the Eritrean Parliament voted for AIDS 6 reintegration with Ethiopia in 1962 , a few weeks On June 18, 2000, the foreign ministers of Ethiopia after the first Peace Corps Volunteers arrived in Miscellany 8 and Eritrea pledged to agree to a peace accord country. Some twenty years later the Eritreans between the two nations. On December 12 , the Travel 10 threw their lot in with the revolution against the prime minister of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopian military dictator Mengistu who was Peace Corps 12 Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi, and the president of overthrown in 1991. In recognition of Eritrea's Eritrea, Isaias Afwerki , signed another paper in The 4oth 14 contribution to the revolution, its position of Algiers in which they agreed to end the war strength in its own territory, and the reality that Personal 16 between the two nations that had begun in May, the new fragile Ethiopian regime was too weak to 1998 . Among the witnesses for the signing were UN Books 18 put down any further Eritrean resistance, the Secretary-General Kofi Annan and US Secretary of Ethiopians held a referendum in Eritrea in 1993 in 2000 re union 21 State Madeleine Albright. which some 953 of the Eritreans voted for inde­ pendence and a new country was born. Buna 22 Some history The edi tor 24 The most recent war is only one of the conflicts The agreement Contacts 26 within the region in the past 500 years and longer. Under the "Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities Ethiopia/ Abyssinia fought with the Sudan over Between the Government of the Federal Democratic what is now Eritrea for centuries. In the 19th Republic of Ethiopia and the Government of the century, there were armed fights by Egypt, France, State of Eritrea," as articulated by the Organization and Italy over the territory with ports on the Red of African Unity , and "in accordance with the Sea. The border between the two has been under principles enshrined in the charters of the OAU and scrutiny and fire, beginning in the first decade of the Un ited Nations," another bitter war between the 20 th century, then the battle for the Horn of the two nations was formally ended. pto > Afr ica began in Eritrea as Mussolini crossed to The new Peace Treaty Continued from page 1

The language of the treaty is relatively simple and many lives and wealth." Cecchini also spoke with brevity its scope of persuasiveness. Paraphrased, the Ethiopian ambassador to the U. S., who was "a the two countries agreed to stop all air and land bit more confidant about the accord." attacks, begin "demining activities," and "the San Francisco Chroni cle writer Lewis Dolinsky notes return of civilian administration and return of that there were three Peace Corps "alumni " present population as well as delimitation and demarca­ for the Algerian signing ceremony: "For three tion of their common border." private U.S. citizens in attendance - Chic The key element in the treaty provides the activa­ Dambach, John Garamendi [Metu 66-68] and tion of policies to "contribute to the reduction of Michael Mccaskey [Fiche 65-67] - this was the true tension and to the establishment of a climate of end of the war, a moment they had prayed for and calm and confidence, as well as to create condi­ worked for as friends of both sides. Former Peace tions conducive to a comprehensive and lasting Corps Volunteers talking to leaders who had settlement" that has dealt with the border between studied under Peace Corps teachers, they had Eritrea and Ethiopia. offered proposals, nudged whoever was recalci­ trant, and asserted privately and publicly that the The keyword of the document is "redeployment. " terms , available in June 1999, when they visited The defining point is : "Ethiopia commits itself not both countries, would be the terms whenever the to move its troops beyond the positions it adminis­ fight ing stopped. They were right." tered before 6 May 1998 ... " Eritrea agrees to "remain at a distance of 25 km (artillery range) According to Cecchini, the terms of the 1999 from positions to which Ethiopian forces shall proposal were not the terms of the 2000 peace redeploy . . . . This zone of separation shall be accord. He believes that, unfortunately, referred to .. . as 'the temporary security zone. "' Garamendi's presentations to the Eritreans were (It should be noted that the 25 km limit was first misconstrued to mean that the us had the Ethiopi­ proposed by EE.E RPCVs .) ans on board in the peace process and would forestall them from further military action, but the Overseeing the resolution of the six-hundred-mile actual situation was that Eth iop ia us ed the period border war is a Peacekeeping Mission created by from the Garamendi visit in May 1999 to May 2000 the United Nations, under the direction of the OAU . to prepare a brutal attack in June of that year that UN cartographers will eventually determine the totally destroyed the Eritrean fo rces. Most expected line that separates the two nations. The number of the Ethiopians to march right through to Asmara UN peacekeepers is as yet undefined, but it is and toss out the Eritrean government. Cecchini estimated that more than 4,000 will be sent to believes they did not do this as the Ethiopians had oversee the treaty's enforcement. According to the repeatedly made assurances to him that they had Washington Post, Richard C. Holbrooke, the then­ no intention of reclaiming Er itrea. "The Ethiopians Ambassador to the United Nations, believes that do not want to go back to a protracted liberation half that number would be sufficient. struggle with the Eritreans " said Cecchini.

Leo Cecchini (Asmara 62-64) has led EE.E RPCVs President Clinton was quoted at the time, saying Peace Initiative Team in an ongoing campaign for "Th is is a breakthrough which can and should end the peaceful cessation of the war. Cecchini spoke the tragic conflict in the Ho rn of Africa . It can and with Eritrean Ambassador to the U.N. Haile should permit these two countries to realize their Menkarios shortly after the treaty signing. UN potential in peace, instead of squandering it in peacekeepers from Canada, Denmark, the Nether­ war. lands, and Italy had already arrived. Cecchini noted that the ambassador "is glad the long agony It is difficult to find how many lives were lost and is over and believes this settlement will work. His how much money was spent on what was called only reservation is that some in Ethiopia may argue "Africa 's Forgotten War. " One UN dateline notes what has the country gained after the loss of so "tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians" had

2 THE HERALD died. At one time, it was estimated that one million According to the 1949 Geneva Conventions - part Eritreans were forced to flee the war. of the Ethiopia-Eritrea treaty - all prisoners of war and detainees will be released. The Red Cross has The Washington Post reported, "The war had determined that there are about 2,600 POWs in involved some of the most high-tech military Ethiopia and 1,000 in Eritrea. The Tribune remarks weaponry ever used in sub-Saharan Africa, that the ending of "the spat between the two Horn straining the treasuries of the impoverished Horn of Africa nations" has also freed 1414 Ethiopian of Africa neighbors at a time they are facing a civilians from Eritrea. deadly drought." "Tens of thousands of Ethiopian troops Saturday Even if there were a way of adding up the mon­ [December 30] received a hero's welcome on return etary costs of the two-year battle, it will be years to their respective hometowns upon demobiliza­ before external humanitarian and economic aid tion, following the end of the bloody border will meet the needs of the two nations. Cecchini conflict with Eritrea, " reported the PanAfrican reports that he has seen accounts that various News Agency in Addis. Celebrating towns included countries would provide at least US$400 million in Addis, Ambo, Ghimbi, Bahr Dar and Jimma. aid once the accord was ratified. He notes that Eventually, more than 150,000 troops will go home. there is no defined timeline, but "!assume this is for several years ." Visafric News reports from Asmara that Eritrean business investors are being encouraged by John Rude, (Tessenei , Adi Ugri 62-64), has his own Yemane Gebreab, advisor to Eritrean President opinion, "There's one fact that can't be Isaias Afwerki, to "actively participate in the denied ... although we have to treat it with revitalization of their nation's economy." He delicacy. Both nations were coerced into signing praised the contributions of Eritreans living the treaty by the threat of withdrawing aid. This outside the country for their support "during its threat had more weight in Ethiopia, and will critical crisis" which "boosted the spirit of the probably lead to more resentment and possible nation's defense forces as well as the population at unraveling of the treaty." large." Speaking to an Eritrean group in Oakland, CA , he stressed that people "should not assume Attempts at healing begin that Ethiopia 's leaders have exhausted their des ire On December 18 , three air corridors opened for war . . . Ethiopia's acceptance of the peace between the two countries. The Addis Tribune plans had to do with various domestic and inter­ reported December 29 that, as part of the UN national considerations, including the abysmal Mission, their helicopters were patrolling the state of its economy." border flying between Manda, and Assab, Adigrat On December 29 , Ethiopia accused Eritrea of and Adi Keyih, and Shiraro and Shembako, breaking the conditions of the peace treaty, Ethiopia and Eritrea, respectively. according to the PanAfrican News Agency report­ Christmas Eve weekend, the International Red Cross ing from the Ethiopian Herald. Eritrea was blamed overseers accounted for the repatriation of 360 for the failure of a one-day session in Nairobi Ethiopian and 359 Eritrean prisoners of war. because of a dispute over the repatriation of the According to the Addis Tribune, the sick and towns of Badme, Zalambessaa, and Bada and what wounded soldiers were the first to be exchanged, the UN delegation called an inability to agree to a although a mechanical problem with the charted redeployment of forces and a "rearrangement plane held up the process. Eventually, three trips plan" of military forces . were made between Asmara and Addis. "Ethiopia and Eritrea are America's friends," The Tribune notes, "Anxious journalists at the President Clinton concluded. "It they are ready to airport were not allowed to speak with the POWs ." take the next step, we and our partners in the international community will walk with them."•

Winter 2000/2001 3 the National Summit on Africa

n conference

Ray Donaldson, who served in Ambo and Debre Speakers' remarks Berhan, Ethiopia, from 1962 to 1964, represented President Clinton's remarks included a five-item EEE RPCVs at last year's fifth annual National list of needed US efforts: an open-world trading Summit on Africa (NSA) in Washington, DC. The system through a bipartisan Congressional Africa following article is based on Ray's report to the Growth and Opportunity Act ; debt relief to African EEE RPCVs Steering Committee: nations "committed to sound policies," and recognition that countries working toward democ­ The five-day conference was attended by 7,500 racy "should not have to choose between feeding delegates and participants. The program included and educating their children." "high-profile events," deliberative and education break-out sessions, seminars, roundtable discus­ Another of Clinton's points was a commitment to sions, plus special events and Africa-related education and literacy. He endorsed the HIV/AIDS entertainment. battle, but also encouraged the fight against malaria and tuberculosis. He concluded with the The goal of this and previous National Summits on need to work to "build on the leadership of Africa is to create "a constituency for Africa" in the Africans to end the bloody conflicts." He spoke of United States. the war between Ethiopia and Eritrea in his Speakers included President Bill Clinton, who remarks, as well as the fighting in Sierra Leone, the delivered the keynote address, Vice President Al Sudan, and the Congo. He endorsed America's Gore, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, former peacekeeping role in Africa. UN Ambassador Andrew Young, Kenyan President Within Albright's speech was the admonition for Daniel Arap Moi, Nigeria's Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, the US's ignorance and ignoring of the horror of Jesse Jackson, and Ron Dellums, as well as repre­ Rwanda. "We must do all we can to see that what sentatives of the US Congress and international aid happened there is never repeated." She also organizations like Bread for the World, Africa­ endorsed, among other efforts, the work toward America Institute, WorldSpace and Africare. bringing peace to Ethiopia and Eritrea.

4 THE HERALD Al Gore refused to cross a picketline at the Hyatt conference, the quest for a "democratic and Hotel where the conference was held, so he phoned transparent process" of decision making, eco­ in his introduction of Kenya's Moi, who, according nomic justice, corporate responsibility, and the to Donaldson, went on to give a "rambling workers' right to organize. "A framework of speech" that included an attack on the media and 'Guiding Principles' that enshrines the above the concept of African countries developing "their values must be developed in a transparent and own systems of democracy. Africa is being participatory manner," she wrote. marginalized. We are asking other nations to help "The statement presented by Dr. Okome addressed us resolve our conflicts. We are not asking foreign­ many of the issues related to the overall question ers to die for us ." about what happens next now that the original mission of the National Summikt has been com­ Other sessions pleted," Donaldson comments. "Critics implied Five of seven deliberative sessions were held that the National Summit had assumed a leader­ concurrently. The subjects included one of five ship role advocating for Africa that it did not themes: economic development, democracy and deserve. It was accused of not being sufficiently human rights, sustainable development and inclusive and being indebted to the existing environment, peace and security, and education power structure. and culture. "A large number of diverse people and organiza­ tions gathered for the Summit. Let's hope we'll be Samara contribution pleasantly surprised to see how all these groups Donaldson emphasizes the contribution early in will be able to work together in the future for the the NSA conference made by Noah A. Samara, of benefit of Africa and the world," he concludes. WorldSpace Corporation. He was born in Africa of a Sudanese father and an Ethiopian mother. His EDITOR'S NOTES : The full text of Ray Donaldson's family was living in Addis Ababa when the report to the EH RPCVs Steering Committee may Organization of African Unity was started. He came be found at the E&E RPCVs website: to the US only a few weeks before the revolution www.geocities.com/eerpcv/summit.htm. began. "Change does not begin with declarations, Participating in a panel at the National Summit legislation. and grand action," he said, "but entitled "Peace Corps Alumni : Paths of Peace in the always first in the minds of people." Samara also New Millenium" were, among others, Leo Cecchini quoted Margaret Mead, "Never doubt that a small of E&E RPCVs Peace Initiative Team and Mel Foote group of thoughtful. committed people can ( 73-75) who was part of a John Garamendi effort change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that (See previous article.) Moderating the panel was ever has." NPCA President Dane Smith (Asmara 63-65). •

Closing comments In the closing presentations of the NSA were comments circulated by the New York delegation co-chair, Mojubaolu Olufunke Okome, who asked for signatures supporting her views. They included the need for balanced and open debate at the

Winter 2000/2001 5 HIV-AIDS in Africa and Ethiopia

by Hayward Allen (Harar 62-64)

In Ethiopia girls between the ages of 18 to 30 come to us for "We have to make clear to our children and the counseling. They are sad and angry with them­ youth that God has created them for a purpose and selves. Some are ashamed, while some of them meaningful life and therefore they should not give even contemplate suicide." their precious life away in vain. We have to teach Another nurse, who has work ed at a rural health them about the deadly disease that does not yet facility told Ruphael that the use of condoms goes have a cure, " Ethiopian Evangelical Church against traditional practices . "It is really hard to Mekane Yesus Reverend Yadessa Daba told convince rural people to use condoms. They just Yohannes Ruphael of the PanAfrican News Agency. dismiss it as against nature," she said.

In a December article, datelined Addis Ababa, Mebrat Gebre Meske!, an ex-prostitute who works Ruphael stated that at least 2.6 million people out for the Evangelical Church as a counselor, said, of a population of 63 million are infected by HIV. "When ten of us women wo rking in bars were "In the capital, Addis Ababa, alone," he writes, tested for the virus, onl y one of us tested nega­ "which has an estimated population of four tive." million, one out of si x persons is HIV-positive. " Ruphael also interviewed Daniel Hai lu. He and his A year-end conference, organized by the Christian wife tested HIV-positive three years ago and are Relief and Development Association and the now part of a national awareness program. "It was [Ethiopian) National HIV-AIDS Council , dealt with not easy at first, but as time passed, people, in the the pressing problems of drug availability, drug urban areas especially, started givi ng due affordability, and how to access them when attention to what we say about AIDS and its needed. The conference, Ruphael noted, made consequences. However," Daniel said, "there is priorities of mother-to-child transmission, as well still a lot to be done. " as the disastrous statistics regarding the 700,000 orphans generated by loss of parents to AIDS . Also, the group discussed care for infected persons, the A former student leads awareness success and failure of voluntary testing, and the program avenues of counseling. Frances Scura (Addis Ababa 67-68) writes The Herald that one of her former students, Negussa A nurse at an AIDS counseling service in Addis Teferra, whom she knew in Add is in 1967, is said, "Every day as many as 30 young boys and

6 THE HERALD "heading a team of researchers who are working million children - the majority of them in Africa - on formative research related to media communi­ have lost either a mother or father or both parents cations, HIV I AIDS awareness and behavioral to AIDS, " she writes. change. It is the first of its kind in Ethiopia." Director Schneider has signed-off on a program to Aided by the Packard Foundation and the US train the 2,400 Volunteers currently serving in Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Africa, as well as all incoming Africa PCVs, in HIV/ Negussie will deal with the distribution of the AIDS education. "Whether their primary assign­ research findings in Ethiopia and the rest of Africa. ment is agriculture, business development, education or health," Ti money notes, "all PCVs will Negussie, Scura relates, has a B.A. in political have the tools they need to share education and science from Addis Ababa University and a Ph .D. prevention messages with their counterparts and in communications in England. He recently retired communities." as one of Ethiopia's representatives to the U.N., after serving a quarter-century in the country's One of the Peace Corps' Crisis Corps commitments government. Scura also notes that his daughter, will be the assignment of at least 200 RPCVs to Yeshet Amba, a recent graduate from Addis Ababa fight against the disease. While the previous duties University with a degree in international relations, of the Crisis Corps Volunteers has largely been spent time helping a U.N. -sponsored pan-African devoted to natural disasters or "humanitarian HIV I AIDS conference in Addis. crises," Di rector Schneider commented that "there is no more lethal or prolonged a disaster than HIV I At the National Summit AIDS." President Clinton, at last year's National Summit The Crisis Corps has sent a mailing to 16,ooo RPCVs on Africa, held in Washington, D.C., said in his who served in Africa seeking applicants. The ideal keynote address: "AIDS wil l soon double child volunteer would have spent two years in sub­ morta lity and reduce life expectancy by 20 years. Saharan Africa, had some HIV I AIDS experience, In Africa, there are countries that are hiring two and be willing to serve a six-month tour. (For more employees for every job on the assumption that information, check out the Crisis Corps website, one of them will die. We need to support efforts www.peacecorps.gov/crisiscorps or call 800-424- that keep people from getting the HIV virus in the 8580, ext. 2250.) first place." The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has pro­ Former U.S. Representative Ron Dellums, who now vided the Peace Corps with a half-million dollar heads Healthcare International Management grant to create effective educational materials, Company, said at the National Summit, "Africa is and the Packard Foundation has contributed dying of AIDS . It is immoral that the world is $250,000 to the effort. USAID has also delegated standing by and doing nothing about it ... An funds to the program. AIDS Marshall Plan is needed ... AIDS can't be treated in a vacuum ... " Crisis Corps Volunteer Leigh Ann Evanson, who served as a PCV in Gabon from 1996-98 and is preparing for a CC assignment in Togo, said, "With The Peace Corps response to AIDS all the recent press on AIDS in Africa, some people Peace Corps Director Mark Schneider announced have said to me, 'It's so depressing; I don't see last June that the agency would make a major how you can do it.' My response is that I don't see effort to help stem the disease that plagues Africa . how I can't." • In the agency's bulletin, Hotline, Crisis Corps Director Joan Timoney (Senegal 78-80) notes that the United Nations Joint Program on AIDS has reported that of the 34 million people infected worldwide, 25 million are in Africa. "Thirteen

Winter 2000/2001 7 e Unofficial Ethiopian and Eritrean miscellany

And now for a change of pace Oh, yes, something quite different The Sheraton Addis was the venue for 5,000 guests The East African Kick Bo xing Championship was for a gala 2001 New Year celebration, which held in Addis, February 10. The Afri can Martial Arts included, according to the PanAfrican News Academy and Kick Bo xi ng International will Agency, "another dazzling display of fireworks sponsor bouts between four Kenyans and four with culinary bash and musical extravaganza, Ethiopians, the Addis Dail y Moni tor reports. second only to the millennium celebrations a year ago hosted by the same hotel." The competition has been going on for two years between the two nations and the Academy looks to The guest list included "cabinet ministers, mem­ expanding its range of competitors to Thai and bers of the diplomatic corps, international civil Canadian kickboxers . Aca demy chief Puro Okello, servants ... as well as leading Ethiopians in various commented, "I hope this event wi ll earn a good fields ," the article notes. The cost was US$126 a name for Ethiopia other than drought and war." head.

The Sheraton is located on a hil l between the old Read all about it in the local National and Grand Palaces. Two open-air stages papers featured "bands and lead singers of 'honey' from The Internet Public Library has links to online Europe." The buff et included dishes from Ethiopi a, newspapers from most countries. Check it out at Europe, and Africa , as well as Arab and Indian www.ipl .org/reading/news/ offerings.

It is noted that the ten-minute fireworks display did celebrate the "European new year." In Ethiopia, the new year, 1993, based upon the Julian calendar, was honored September 10, 2000.

8 THE HE RALD Worldspace.com on-air, in space Corruption Perceptions Index Noah Samara, head of Worldspace Corporation, In September, the anti-graft group of Transpar­ born of a Sudanese father and Ethiopian mother ency International's annual Corruption Index was (see "Summit" article, page 4), and raised in Addis published in Berlin. According to Reuters, the when the Organization of African Unity was index is based upon three-year averaging of formed, has announced his company's three surveys involving business people, risk analysts, communications satellites that target developing and the public. Based on a range from lO ("highly countries. Clare Shea (Debre Marcos 65-67 ), writes clean") to zero ("highly corrupt"), Finland was the that the Worldspace ventures in space broadcast only nation to earn a perfect score. Nigeria scored radio around the world. "Hope some of Bill Gates' the lowest of the 122 nations with a 1.2 evaluation. Foundation donation of $100 million for Botswana AIDS prevention might find its way to Worldspace The USA made it to #14 with a 7.8 score, while for programming," Clare writes The Herald. Visit Botswana had the highest African rating at 6.o. Worldspace at www .worldspace.com. Other African countries included were Nambia (5.4), Malawi (4.1), Ghana (n). Zambia (3.4). Ethiopian government announces Ethiopia was rated at 6oth place, along with development plan Thailand, at 3. 2. Ethiopia's minister of works and urban develop­ Eritrea was not included in the survey. ment, Haile Asgida, estimates that the country will need US$4 .9 billion for the construction of vital The African nations that followed Ethiopia were services, such as roads, power and health, over the Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, next decade," was reported in the Amharic lan­ Uganda, Mozambique, Kenya, Cameroon, and guage daily, Addis Zemen, according to the Angola. PanAfrican News Agency.

Haile Asgida's comments were taken from a speech Dire Dawa-Addis train wreck made to the Ethiopian Association of Civil Engi­ A year-end disaster on the railroad tracks between neers, December 18 . Dire Dawa and Addis Ababa caused the deaths of at least thirteen people, with ten others sustaining "However," the news agency notes, "the report did injuries. The freight train broke into three parts not indicate where the government would get the near the town of Meisso, about 180 miles west of funds to finance the proposed high socio-eco­ Dire Dawa. nomic development projects in the coming ten According to a local policeman, "An unspecified number of persons was said to be travelling illegally onboard the train's freight compart­ la sie video at Amazon.com ments," the Ethiopian press reported. Officer Haile ndulance," a video about Haile Gebre Selassie is Cekadu added that freight trains were not allowed \!i E@,,,,,., .,.,&IBfu.,,,,"'@'''""'~'lit~,;: ,'"~'l'J a ii ab 1e from Amazon. com (price: $17 . 99), to carry passengers, and those who traveled reports Frances Scura (Addis Ababa 67-68). She illegally risked their lives. also notes that Reel.com advertises "Endurance" for $13 . 99 but has no copies in stock. The injured and dead were taken to the hospital at Asbeteferi, not far from Meisso. • "In any event," she writes The Herald , "I am thrilled to have the video to see Addis and the countryside of Ethiopia any time I want."

Winter 2000/2001 9 john Graham's Travels in Ethiopia Annotated with commentary by Ha yward Allen

Richard Crepeau (Dessie 63-65), an indefatigable but the monks ascend with the speed and grace of and most appreciated supplier to The Herald of monkeys. For those of us less gifted, the strong across-the-sea coverage of things Ethiopian and arms of the monks reel you in on a rope like a Eritrean, has included among his clippings a series great fish ." of travelogues from the Addis Tribune by John Graham, who describes his "Travel in Ethiopia. " In At Axum he reflects: "archaeology has been four recent articles, the traveler goes to Axum and repeatedly interrupted by pesky wars. As Axum Adua, and then in another article he describes nestles on the border with Eritrea, the warfare going to the Afar Lowlands of the Danakil. between 1998-2000 closed the area for all but the most determined visitors. There was only eight While I don't know John Graham, I do know years of peace before that, during which teams something about travel writing. He is not Paul began to make some important di scoveries . For Theroux or de twelve years before that, essentially 1978-1990, Toqueville. Axum had been rendered unsafe by the battle ~i..::~m Specific border to be determined "Travel in Ethio­ between the Tigrayan People 's Liberation Front .Me kele pia" will bring to (TPLF) and the Derg government. Earlier excava­ mind many of our tions had stopped with the overthrow of the northern Ethiopia images and Emperor in 197 4." ..Ba ti recollections of Kombolcha Ethiopia and His encounter with the Ark of the Covenant is Eritrea. His oddly honest: "!had a mo ment of excitement at St. Mary Zion. On one of my visits I was leaning ( a impressions and Addis Ababa explorations are against a fence that overlooks the back of the articulated in this famous church. I noticed a cl oth-covered object at the back ... a large yel low box wi th poles Map is not precise, but provided to give a rough idea of location lengthy series, and while many sticking out the back, covered with a white are well-written and even researched, there is a blanket ... I stopped a passing pri est and asked him what it was (I was being sarcastic, I'm afraid). tenor to many of his comments that is not unlike fingernails scratching a blackboard. To my amazement he looked over and said it was the Ark of the Covenant. I held my jaw up long With that in mind, here are some excerpts Herald enough to ask what the Ark was doi ng outside. He readers might find interesting: shrugged and said that they brought it out sometimes for air. I took a pi cture." "From Mekelle to Adua" is his first install­ ment: Of the travel between Adigrat and Axum , he Sheba's Reservoir at Axum is simil arly described, writes "The best part of the view is the odd shaped "On the edge of town is Sheba's Res ervoir, a large mountains which hove into view in the west. I have stone lake which probably has nothing to do with no idea what geological process form these odd the Queen of Sheba, but is a nice place to visit . shapes, but it must be unusual for the scenery is There are stairs for locals to climb down to take unique. Mountains tilt and jut at odd angles on the water or participate in ceremonies . .. . People horizon .. . I feel cheated that no one had told me swim in the reservoir, but there are reports of about the spectacular view on this road before I fairly frequent drownings." traveled on it." His visit to Dongur Ediface, or Sheba's Palace, At Debre Damo, he notes, after he visits the famed is noteworthy: "Archeologists date the structure as monastery: "If you are male, and you pass the about 1500 years younger than the time of cross examination on your Christian beliefs, then Solomon and Sheba. Regardless of the source of the monks will haul you up on a rope to visit the the ruin, it is large and fasc inating. It is difficult monastery. The forty foot ascent looks ominous, that this was completely undiscovered and dug up

IO THE HERALD less than 50 years ago . .. . Small boys . .. eagerly As he nears the end of his travels he goes guide you ... [trying] to sell you rocks with from Mille to Kombolcha, and it is this trip that crystals inside. These are fabulous stones, ordinary seems to mature Graham's prose, as with describ­ looking on the outside, but when broken open they ing the salt plains or the Saturday market days, reveal different colored crystals, with their sharp but also reveals his own amazement at the resil­ and intricate designs .. . For only five or ten birr ience of desert people. He is fascinated by the you can pick up many of these rocks . However, colorful dress of the men and women in the transport of minerals out of the area is carefully market. monitored. At the Axum airport your bags and However, as he stops at Bati , on the frontier hand luggage are searched, and any crystals between Arar and Wollo, he writes in his bifur­ found are confiscated. There are big buckets in the cated style, "This is an interesting place to stop corner of the ramshackle check-in room filled with only on market days, in my opinion. It is a dusty crystals. A cynic would expect them to find their place, with quite a lot of local hotels and restau­ way back into the hands of the little boys to be rants. In 1984-85 it was a major epicenter of the sold to the next set of tourists!" famine, and the site of a major Save the Children On the Axum·Condar leg of his journey he (UK) feeding program. Fortunately, the camp was John Craham may be contacted writes of the bottom of the Tekkeze, including the closed as soon as possible, although food distribu­ at: [email protected] Shire reservations: "To be honest, this is not a tions through the Disaster Prevention and Pre­ place to make a special trip to see, especially when paredness Commission continue on an annual the wonderful Simien National Park is so nearby. basis in greater or lesser amounts." The other trip is from Adiarkay to the monasteries Graham at the time did not realize that one of the of Waldiba or Woldeba. This is a trip that can only The full text of the referenced road's destinations was the site of the remains of be taken by foot or mule, and I admit I haven't ''Lucy," aka "Denkenesh," a 3.8 million-year-old articles can be found at http:// made it there yet. I've been told the trip to the Australopithecine woman. He relates his experi­ closest one is a nice, if somewhat long day trip." archives. geez. org I ence in reference to the site. Brian Barr, "a well

Addis Tribune/ Archives/2000/. Graham takes a ten-league leap to the Afar known and respected road engineer with many Lowlands, a "desert like area [that] stretches years of experience in Ethiopia," had told Graham Their publishing dates are through the northeast of the country north of how far the site was off the map, warning travelers how they will "eventually end up following tracks 12/1/2000, 12/8/2000, Awash and Dire Dawa, east of Wolo and Tigray. This fierce land, which includes the Danakil down dried riverbeds at a place called Hadar. A 12/15/2000, 12/22/2000 and Depression, one of the hottest spots on the planet, palaeontological team is normally there, so the also has gentle oases, rivers and lakes. The Afar tracks in the river are the ones you follow. I don't 12/29/2000. people also have a reputation for fierceness, which think they appreciate casual visitors, and souvenir has kept intruders as well as visitors off their land, hunting is definitely out of the question! Brian but also are well known for their gentleness and told me that he and his group were welcomed, and hospitality." they were recruited into a bone search party before Links to other installments of long .... Brian tells an amusing story about a Like other travelers, including Wilfred Thesiger frustrated palaeontologist explaining the features "Travel in Ethiopia" can be seven decades ago (The Danakil Diary, Journeys of a fossilized hyena jaw he found, and how it found at the EgE RPCVs web site through Abyssinia, 1930-34), Graham is intrigued differs from humans!" by the river that doesn't reach the sea - the at: http://www.geocities.com/ Awash. Graham, however, has some reservations I am certain that readers of the Addis Trib find fascinating John Graham's reflections and obser­ ·eerpcv/travels.htm about such explorations: "I always feel uncomfort­ able with the notion of Europeans going off and vations of two of the great, historic sections of 'discovering' something which of course the locals their country. It is possible that no other nation, knew about all along .. .. Although Thesiger apart from Egypt, has been so analyzed, tres­ comes across as a bit of a colonialist and an old passed, and mis-interpreted by ferengis whose 'pip and all that' type of Brit, he is genuinely concepts of travel , culture and science still escape sensitive to the local culture, and obviously much the people whose living lives and long past are more comfortable in a tent in a desert than in a being put under one microscope or another. • house or a car."

Winter 2000/2001 II Honoring PCVs who died in Former Peace Corps Director Paul service Coverdell dies Memorial Day , 2000, was commemorated by Peace Senator Paul Coverdell (R- GA), the eleventh Corps Director Mark Schneider at the agency's director of the Peace Corps (1989-91), died of a Shriver Hall in Washington, DC . The names of the cerebral hemorrhage Jul y 18. Among his accom­ 246 Volunteers who have died in service were read plishments as di rector were the projects developed by Peace Corps staff who served as PCVs in the four for Eastern and Ce ntral Europe, following the end decades the deaths occurred. Schneider concluded of the Cold Wa r. He also reopened programs in the memorial service with a reading of JFK 's Africa and Asi a. An other achievement was the favorite poem by Robert Frost, "The Road Not creation of the World Wi se School program that Taken." linked US students with Volunteers overseas.

Another name was added to the honored ranks less A memorial tribute was held at Peace Corps than one month later when on June 23 , Judith headquarters September 19. Among those speaking Passmore, 60, of Portland, Oregon, died in Lesotho, were RPCV Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), Director where she was serving. Judith and her husband Schneider, Roman ian Ambassador Mircea Geoana, Paul were in their second year serving as Volun ­ former PC Chief of Staff Jody Olsen, and World Wise teers in Morija , Lesotho. Her work was with the teacher Ma ry Nasibi . Ministry of Agriculture, specifically helping Dane Smith (Asmara 63- 65), president of the develop model farms and more efficient local National Peace Co rp s Association, has written: institutional management. She died of natural "Senator Coverdell very capably led the Peace causes and is survived by her husband, five Corps at a time of significa nt change ... He was a children, her mother and sister. champion of the Peace Corps in the Senate, particularly in the diffi cult budget process .. . He will be greatly missed."

12 THE HERALD Former PC Director named as Western Illinois University looking Bush Labor Secretary for RPCVs Elaine Chao, Peace Corps director from 1991- Thom Anderson (Morocco 91-95) has sent an 1992, was selected to replace Linda Chavez as Bush announcement for the Peace Corps Fellows pro­ administration nomination for Secretary of Labor gram at Western Illinois University in Macomb. Ill, and approved by Congress in January. The 47- for this spring semester. as well as those that year-old Asian-American nominee emigrated to follow. "With our programs focusing on rural the US from Taiwan as an eight-year-old, gradu­ community development, Fellows can earn a ated from Mount Holyoke College in 1975 and holds master's degree," he writes. Among the academic an MBA from Harvard. Prior to the Peace Corps departments are the MBA program, health and directorship, she was a deputy secretary of the DOT education promotion, geography, political science and then chairwoman of the Federal Maritime and public administration, as well as recreation, Commission. Since her service with the Peace park and tourism administration. Corps, she has headed the United Way and since 1996 served as president of The Heritage Founda­ "WIU Fellows receive a graduate assistantship tion. during their campus coursework, and will be provided a stipend while performing a one-year Chao is married to Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY). internship with a rural community. The internship involves full-time work on various local develop­ RPCV Donna Shalala moves on ment projects ... The skills Fellows gained during overseas Peace Corps experience, combined with As she described last year in Mirabella magazine, new knowledge make these individuals very from 1962-1964, Donna Shalala lived in a mud effective community development professionals," house in an Iranian village. She was an English Anderson states. teacher primarily, but in Peace Corps tradition had additional chores, like latrine building and For more information, contact Carolyn Lawrence at working at an agricultural college, called "the [email protected] or at 800-526-9943. Thom Harvard of southwestern Iran." Among her Anderson's email address is: project's objectives was "to help them modernize [email protected]. • the archaic farming economy in Iran." Most recently, Shalala worked for eight years as the US Secretary of Health and Human Services and became one of President Clinton's longest-serving Peace Corps Fellows programs: There cabinet members, along with Attorney General are fifty American colleges and universities Janet Reno. Shalala is moving on to become awarding graduate degrees that have president of the University of Miami in Florida, involved RPCVs through the Peace Corps returning to the academic community she left Master 's International Program. Fields behind when she left the University of Wisconsin­ range from forestry to public health, from Madison in 1991. business administration to civil engineer­ ing, agriculture, creative writing, "The [Peace Corps] experience .. . provided me with agronomy and animal sciences, to ecology tremendous self-confidence at an extraordinarily and natural resource planning. For infor­ early age. It taught me self-reliance, that I could mation on the schools and their offerings. literally be dropped anywhere on earth and figure check out the Peace Corps website, out how to survive and thrive .... It created a group "www.peacecorps.gov" • of young people with a deeply ingrained commit­ ment to the rest of the world."

Winter 2000/2001 13 The Launching E&E RPCVs and the RPCV National The official launching of the celebration of the 4oth Conference 1 Anniversary of the Peace Corps in took place The 40 h anniversary conference of RPCVs will be October 13-14, 2000, at the University of Michigan. held in Washington, DC, September 20 to 23- Along On that date in 1960 John Kennedy suggested the with the many acti vities planned by the sponsors idea of a "moral alternative to war" to students as - the NPCA and the Washington RPCV group, ESE part of his presidential campaign. It has long been RPCVs will host several special events. Reunion considered a seminal event in the history of Chair CJ Sm ith Castagnaro and those on the American volunteerism that created the Peace committee - Courtney Arnol d and Judy Smith Corps. Among the ceremonies were the award of (Asamara 63-65) are planning for injera, wat, the Peace Corps flag and a trophy to the UM country updates, embassy receptions, reunions president in front of 110,000 homecoming fans at with fri ends and couple of special events still in the UM stadium. · the works. They will also be recommending one designated conference hotel to facilitate recon­ Peace Corps Day necting. Thursday, March 1, 2001 , is designated the fourth Stay tuned fo r more information about the annual Peace Corps Day and will honor the 4oth gathering in DC September 20 -23, 2001. anniversary of the signing of Peace Corps' Execu­ tive Order establishing the agency. RPCVs are (If you have email and do not currently receive urged to go into the classrooms in their communi­ Updates from ESE RPCVs, send a message to ties and share with the youth of America their mhbeil@servtech. com so that you will receive insights into the countries where they served and Conference info as soon as it is firmed up.) the people around the world the grew to Jove.

The Peace Corps has a packet of materials to Puting it on tape support Peace Corps Day efforts. To receive one, or As part of the 4oth Peace Corps Anniversary, Stuart for more information, send email to Gold (Jimma 73-7 4), of Shadow and Light Produc­ [email protected], or call 800-424-8580 and tions in Berkely, and John Coyne have begun a ask for the Peace Corps Day office. talent search for ESE RPCVs who would like to be involved in the creation of "An Oral History of the Peace Co rps in Ethiop ia and Eritrea." National Volunteer Week From March 2-9, 2001, regional RPCV groups are "This video will become an archive of our work in encouraged to plan community service activities at these countries ," Coyne said, "and of our lives and part of the continued celebration. Contact the experiences as Peace Corps Volunteers. It will group in your city or area to participate. provide a view into these countries that most in the United States will never be able to experience first hand." Gala There is to be a fundraising gala in Washington. Copies will be given to the Peace Corps Collection According to the National Peace Corps Association at the Kennedy Lib rary in Boston .and made (NPCA): The show will be an entertaining look at available to the Peace Corps fo r historical and the Peace Corps ' first forty years and will include recruiting use . the honoring of the founders and ideals that make A committee has been formed to launch the it just as relevant today as it was at its founding. project. "They will establi sh such things as basic forma, questions to be as ked, editing, funding and equipment needs, potential uses and how to make it happen," said Marian Haley Beil , chair of ESE RPCVs Steering Commi ttee. There is a special need for those with fundraising/grant writing skills to join the committee.

14 THE HERALD If you would like to work on the project, which has At least 450 RPCVs have had their works published potential for becoming a model for other RPCV since leaving the Peace Corps . Among them: Paul groups to emulate, please contact the project Theroux, No rm Rush, Mary-An n Tirone Smith, chairs: John Coyne at [email protected] and Stuart Kinky Friedman, Ric hard Lipez (Debre Ma rcos, Go ld at [email protected]. Addis Ababa 62-64), Mike Tidwell , Kathleen Coskran (Addis Ababa; Di ll a 65- 67), Kent Haruf, Those on the committee are: Lawrence Grobe! , Richard Wil ey, Bill Barich, Judith Nordblom Alger (Asmara 63-65) Malanie Sumner, P.F. Kluge , Lawrence Leamer, Eric Joshua Brackett (Addis Ababa 64-66) Lax , Peter Hessler, as well as Coyne himself. Ba bette A. Brackett (Addis Ababa 64-66) Award-winning RPCV author Bob Shacochis has Joyce VanDoske Coker ( 7 4-75) written about the value of the books and their Cynthia Tse Ki mberlin (Adi Ugri; sources: "We are torch -bearers of a vital tradition, Asmara 62-64) that of shedding light in the mythical heart of Anne Fitzgerald O'Neill (Addis Ababa 68-69) darkness. We are descendants of Joseph Conrad, Chri stine Pattee (Dire Dawa 66-68) Mark Twain , George Orwell, Graham Greene, Gina PerfettoButajira (Ethiopia 9?-99) Somerset Maugham, Ernest Hemingway, and scores Jim Skel ton (Makalle, Addis Ababa 70-72) of other men and women, expatriates and travel Jocelyn Songco (Ethiopia 96-98) writers and wanderers. [The RPCVs] have enriched Mic hael E. Stichick (Adowa 64-66) our domestic literature with the spices of Cathay, who have tried to communicate the 'exotic' as a Looking for writers to read or relative, rather than an absolute quality of vice versa humanity." PeaceCorpsWriters.org and the newsletter precur­ For information regarding this literary legacy sor, RPCV Wri ters and Readers, will stage a series of given by men and women who served, as we all readings around the country by writers who have did, far from home, far from our native language served in the Peace Corps. The program is being and culture, and came to know new homes and offered as a celebration of the work of Peace Corps new languages and cultures, check out the Peace writers over the past 40 years by John Coyne Corps Writers website: http:// (Addis Ababa 62-64) and Marian Haley Beil (Debra peacecorpswriters.org. Coyne notes that a special Berhan 62-64), who have energized the section has been added that details "The 40 Years PeaceCorpsWriters.org/RPCV W&R for more than a of Peace Corps Writers Tour. " For information dozen years. With the help of a grant from The about taking part in the readings, he can be Fl orence and John Schumann Foundation and reached at [email protected]. support from of the National Peace Corps Associa­ tion, and the Peace Corps, PeaceCorpsWriters.org "The efforts Marian and I have made were inspired wil l organize the events. by the Third Goal of the Peace Corps: 'to bring the world back home ,"' Coyne concludes. "We hope to schedule these readings in colleges, high schools, local libraries and community centers," Coyne said, " where [the writers or their Celebrate the 40th in Asmara Laurie Kessler (Adi Teclesan 64-66), who returned readers] can educate, delight, and impress a wide va ri ety of audiences." with her husband Wayne (Adi Teclesan 64-66) to Eritrea to work, has extended an invitation to The plan is to have the writers read from their own RPCVs to recognize the Peace Corps ' four decades works or have RPCVs reading from personal by traveling to Eritrea. She would like "to celebrate fav orite wri ters who served in the Peace Corps. "We the anniversary here with all the RPCVs and expect to stage at least one event per month Er itreans who remember Peace Corps," she writes. starting in January and continue until the NPCA "That can include our very own former students 4oth Anniversary Celebration in Washington in and others." Laurie may be contacted at September," Beil noted. [email protected]. er. •

Winter 2000/ 2001 15 Getting Personal

The Russells move to UAE Fahey Named editor of Mindprints Dannie and Daryl Russell, who taught in Addis Paul Alan Fahey, who served in Asmara from from 1963 to 1965 , are now in Dubai , United Arab 1968 to 1971 , has been appointed editor of Emirates . Daryl is the superintendent of the Mindprints, a literary journal for writers with Emirates International School. Dannie is leading disabilities. The publication is also open, he notes, two creative writing courses and involved in to all writers with an interest in the field. The first community work. Their daughter and her hus­ issue came out last autumn. band, and the Russell grandchildren live in Dubai. The Russells's son and his wife work at the Time's Muller retires American School in Shanghai, China. Dannie Henry Muller, who served in Holetta and Ambo , writes : "We have all become global nomads, and Ethiopia, 1968 to 1970, recently retired as editorial none the worse." director at Ti me , Inc . He also was the magazine's Their contact address: [email protected]. managing editor between 1987 and 1992.

The Kesslers return to Asmara A question of Italian cartography Laurie Kessler, who served in Adi Teclesan, Mary Schultz sent The Herald an explanation of Eritrea from 1964 to 1966 has returned to her how the town of Mendefera, where she served position as director of the Asmara International between 1965 and 1967, became mistakenly Community School, with a 63-student body from identified: "A bit west of Mendefera is a village fourteen countries. Their son Colin served on the called Adi Ugri. Some Italians were making a map faculty of the school previously. Her husband of the area and wandered a little bit off the main Wayne works at the Pavoni Social Center and has drag and asked the name of the town. They were co-authored a chicken-raising handbook for the told Adi Ugri . So Mendefera was named Adi Ugri Center's rural enterprise unit. "He is just starting a on the map , and therefore also by the post office contract with the United Nations," she writes, "to and also by the Peace Corps ." work on the annual assessment of humanitarian In Vermont, the farmer said, when asked where a needs, and with about a million displaced, town was , "You can't get there from here." deported, and drought-affected [people]. there's lots of need." In training, Ethiopia PCVs were told the linguistic legend of how "babur" became Amharic for Seal recently knighted "train, " wherei n a French speaker was asked about the train's engine and mistakenly assuming the E. David Seal, who served in Debre Berhan and inquirer was asking about the steam cloud, Asmara, from 1964 to 1966, has written that he is replied, "Vapour." Trainees weren 't told how "can "very involved in a number of causes related to opener" or "church key" became Amharized into Ethiopia. I was recently knighted to the post of "muckafutcha," but there is a certain American GI Knight Grand Cross , Imperial Order of the Holy keyword that linguists no doubt consider. Trinity by Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie Haile Selassie. We are working to find ways to get a democrative administration installed in Ethiopia. Steering Committee additions It will not be easy, but it seems to be the only Gerry Hoffman (Mekele 63-65) and Judy Smith hope for Ethiopia. " (Asmara 63-65) have joined the Steering Commit­ tee of Et.E RPCVs . We welcome their talents, and Seal is looking for others' opinions and may be generosity. Thanks, Gerry and Judy. contacted at [email protected].

16 THE HERALD In Memorium

June Clifton, who served in Looking for . . . Finding . .. Makelle from 1962 to 1964, died Ms. Ann and Ms. Marline of Endaselassie Haskel Ward, Mark Foster, and Willie Hall Haregeweyn Demoz , nee Teklehaimanot Tecolla, Solomon Gebreab wrote: "A few years ago a group September 12, 2000, after a long wrote searching for "my two lady teachers who of nearly 80 PCVs who originally had served in fight with breast cancer in taught me Ms . Ann . Engl ish and Ms . Marli ne, Ethiopia and Eritrea decided to have their 30th biology in Endaselassie .. . [who] left when the reunion in Ethiopia, and I, as a travel agent at that Wilmington, NC. As a PCV June new military government overthrew Haile Selassie's time, was priviledged to handle their travel taught business courses at government. I always think about them alot. They arrangements. Unfortunately for me there was no can 't seem to be out of my mind even for a week ." one in the group who had been my teacher . . . The Makele Secondary School. She is leader of the group was Haskel Wa rd. I have been She also noted that her husband, Hagos Demoz , survived by her husband, Don trying to contact him ever since I came to the US was an Amharic language instructor fo r the Peace about a year ago." Taube, and her daughter, Corps. Haregeweyn 's ema il address is: haregu [email protected]. us and her mail ing So lomon also was interested in contacting Ma rk Jessica. They ask that any address is : 5307 Long Creek Lane, Ho uston, TX, Foster, who. taught at Tafari Makonnen School in donations be made in June's 77088 . Addis in 1967. He recalls that he "taught us literature from a book which had a selection of name to a shelter for victims of Jennifer St. Laurent poetry. Although I still remember some of those Tasew Dejene writes: "Would you take your poems, and recite them to my children from time domestic violence. precious time to find me a friend of mine who was to time, I would like to know the title and author a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ethiopia in the year of the book." 1998?" Her name is Jenefer or Jennifer St. Lau rent and she is from Rhode Island, and Tasew is looking He also wanted to renew contact with Willie Hall , Albert Ornstein, who served in fo r her. His email address is [email protected] who taught at Tafari Makonnen School in 1965 . Ethiopia from 1964 to 1966, died and his mailing address is : Xylofoon pad 11 , 6544 "Like so many thousands who have been touched VE Nijmegen , Netherlands. by [Peace Corps Volunteers], I still cherish the in New York City. He was 88 memory of what now seems an enchanted, Claudia Childs, Catalin Kaiser, Ali Ki ncaid, and years-old. mythical period of innocence and idealism ," he Justin Spence (Eritrea 96-98) wrote. Barbara Macy, who taught at Nefasit, Eritrea, between 1997 and 1998, is looking for Eri trea 2 Editor's note: the three were contacted through the RPCVs Claudia Childs, Catali n Kaiser, Jus tin Spence, £6£ RPCVs and reponded to Solomon. If we didn't Tom Dassel, who served in and Ali Kincaid . Barbara may be reached by email know how to contact them we would put a note in Gondar from 1968 to 1970, died at: [email protected] or written to at: 817 E. Aztec this column. See how it works?• Ave . Gallup , NM , 87502 , or called at (50 5)836- of cancer in December 1999. 8856. After his service in the Peace

Thomas Catucci of Hirna Corps Tom returned to his home Israel Dessalegne has written The Herald and he is looking for his teacher in Hirna, Ethiopia, from in New Orleans, where he taught 1968-1970. "It is exciting to reco nnect with teachers accounting in junior college. who have played a vital role in shaping our life, " he writes from Gambia, where he is working for the UNDP. His email address is: [email protected] and his mailing address is : United Nat ions Development Pro gram, PO Box 553, Banjul, The Gamb ia.

Winter 2000/ 2001 17 Books

Recent Books by Ethiopia and The Quotable Executive Eritrea RPCVs by John Woods (J imma 65-68) McGraw-Hill Professional Publishing, $14.95, Editor's note: The online bookseller amazon.com - 214 pages, 2000 which alerts EE.E RPCVs about titles of interest - provides readers' reviews, comments, and space for readers to add their own reviews for each book. Recent books about Ethiopia and Some of these titles were found through Eritrea www .peacecorpswriters.org. Notes from the Hyena's Belly: An Ethiopian Boyhood Dialectics and Deconstruction in Political By Nega Mezlekia Economy NY: Picador USA, $24 .00, 355 pages by Robert Albritton (Harar, Asmara 63-65) Highly praised in the NY Times Book St . Martin 's Press, $69.95, 240 pages, 1999 Review, 1/21/01. The Crea t Blue Heron The Ethiopian State at the Crossroa ds: (reprinted for the National Wildlife Federation) Decolonization and Democratization or Hayward Allen (Harar 62-64) Disintegration Northward Press, $16 .95 , 175 pages, illustrated, by Leenco Lata 2000 Red Sea Press,$24.95 (paperback), 304 pages Major McKinley: William McKinley and the Land and Society in the Christian Kingdom Civil War. of Ethiopia: From the Thirteenth to the by William H. Armstrong (Ethiopia staff 66-68, PC Twentieth Century Dir./Swaziland 68-71) by Donald Crummey Kent State University Press, $18 .00, 248 pages, 2000 University of Illinois, $60 (hardcover), 416 pages Yvette in America: A Sequential Novel Subjects range from land tenure to social by John Goulet (64-66) aspects of Ethiopian life. University Press of Colorado E. Ft. Collins: Center for Demobilization in Subsaharan Africa: The Literary Publishing, $22.00, 160 pages, 2000 Development and Security Impacts Ethiopia: Traditions of Creativity edited by Kees Kingma Edited by Raymond A. Silverman, Neal Sobania St . Martins Press; $65 .00 (hardcover), 256 pages. (Addis Ababa 68-72) Layers of Time: A History of Ethiopia University of Washington Press, $40.00, 308 pages, by Paul B. Henze 1999 St . Martin's Press , $35 .00 (hardcover), 320 pages In this collection of essays on the artistry of the crafts in Ethiopia, Neal writes "Sorghum Adventures in the Bone Trade: The Race to Surprise: The Models of Tolera Tafa " about a Discover Human Ancestors in Ethiopia 's Afar young Ethiopian who has prospered by Depression building models of famous buildings and by Jon Kalb other monumental structures using pith, Copernicus Books, $29.00 (hardcover), 400 pages the inner portion of sorghum. Bibliography of the Earth Sciences for the Ethiopia: A Post-Cold War African State Hom of Africa, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, by Theodore M. Vestal (Ethiopia Staff 64-66) and Djibouti, 1620-1993 Praeger Publishing, $59 . 95 by Jon Kalb November, 1999 American Geological Institute, $74 . 95, 494 pages Contains 10, 250 titles.

18 THE HERALD A Review

My Ethiopia: A Memoir In the morning she "discovered flies of a different by Stephanie Thompson Vance and Abigail Moyle temperment. They clung to the corners of eyes or Steidley mouth in the sun, but flew away when people went Second printing by Morris Publishing into the shade. I was repulsed by the sight of small 3212 East Highway 30 children wearing clusters of nasty flies on their Kearney, Nebraska 68847 faces!" phone:800-650-7888 147 pages We 've been there, too.

Reviewed by Hayward Allen (Harar 62-64) At first, the book critic and the RPCV-Ethiopia 1 veteran in me saw this as a little book, dressed out in a border of Victorian embroidery on the cover

0 hen Stephanie Thompson Vance went to Ethiopia instead of a glorious Ethiopian painting, and it ip 1956, an amazing world opened to the eyes and conjured up my own memories of Alemaya Agri­ iteas of a young mother from Oklahoma traveling cultural College down fhe road from Harar. For 1ith her teacher-husband to the Kingdom of the some reason-probably deep in the core where on of Judah. Bill Vance was part of what would USAID and USIS were persona non grata, and Peace ea sixteen-year connection between Oklahoma Corps Rules!- I wanted to go for the jugular vein of State University and Ethiopian agricultural the authors. It is not "real" literature, I bemoaned, education. Over that period more than 200 OSU just the longago memories of almost a half­ faculty spent teaching and research time in century ago, and then whoa! those folks from OSU Ethiopia. were so "American" it was pitiful.

Mrs . Vance spent six years in Ethiopia, first in But as I think back, recalling the neat bungalows, Jimma for two years, then Dire Daw a for a year, mown lawns, and friendly invitations to PCVs in and finally Alemaya for three years. She was Dire Dawa and Harar for Thanksgiving Dinner, and packing to go home as the first PCVs were in ice cream, and a glimpse of home , I began to balk training to take the Ethiopian educational system at being picky. I felt magnanimous, so forgive, to another, different level. and be gentle. But I cannot forget, how one Halloween, one Alemaya houseparty dressed up in This a memoir, lovingly edited by Mrs. Vance's white sheets, looking remarkably like the KKK. granddaughter, who shares the by-line and is the Most of us never went back to Alemaya. Years later, primary reader to whom Stephanie addresses her I realized the costumes were a gaggle of Okie thoughts. As memoirs go, My Ethiopia is honest, ghosts. naive, and wholesome. This little book is often embarassingly confes­ "Abigail, one of my most vivid memories is of our sional, so Middle-American in its judgements and first night in a hotel in Addis Ababa. Here we misinterpretations of Ethiopian culture, and so found ourselves swatting at buzzing bugs with decent in its descriptions. Yet at the core of it all is mosquito-like wings, and fat bodies larger than a remarkable existence and experience of exactly horse flies; some unknown menace flying higher that - a portrait of decent Middle Americans who than our reach before they disappeared in the are part of something larger than themselves, and . gloom near the ten-foot ceilings. I wasn't about to for six years, with a young family . let one of those things bite our one-year-old [daughter] Willie, " the memoirist opens the first And I feel disappointed with my easy prejudice. chapter, entitled "Creepy Crawlies." Actually, for memories forty to fifty years-old, Mrs. We've been there. Vance is remarkable. Her experiences in Jimma, pto >

Winter 2000/2001 19 \/ ::·.·········j My Ethiopia · a review continued from previous page p~'ac;G6;p~Writers. org Dire Dawa, and Alemaya will ring bells in most John Coytle (Addis Ababa 62- 64) and Marian Haley minds. From their house being robbed on their very Beil (Debre Berhan 62-64) are constant promoters last night at Alemaya with their little children of the website they created to promote books by asleep in their beds, to the attempts to understand RPCVs, so always check out: http:// their purpose for being where they were, to the peacecorpswri ters. org. details of markets and housekeeping, to the wild Published in the November, 20 00 issue of Peace animals and rough roads, weather and worries Corps Writers, is "A letter from Ethiopia" by about health-her six-year stay was not so different Kathleen Coskran (Addis Ababa, Dilla 65-67). The from our much shorter one. letter was written by Kathleen to her mother at the Maybe many of us wrote letters home, reflecting time of the tragic death of Et hiopia PCV Bill Olson, our amateur idealism and our awesome Eth iopian which she witnessed. A foll ow- up article by Steve encounters, and our overall disbelief about being Buff, "Remembering Gamb ela" is in the January, where we were. We were so far away from what we 2000 issue. Check the Site Index under "Ethiopia" grew up with. No doubt that is maybe why we have to go to both articles. been asked by our kids and their kids what it was Also publish under the title of "A letter from like to have done what we did. If they know to ask. Ethiopia" in the July, 2000 iss ue of Peace Corps I don't know how many times I've been asked to Writers, Kathleen Moore (Emdeber 64-66) explains tell about Harar 's scab Hyena Man (the real one why many of us didn't writ e home very often. Also was in jail for not paying taxes) and how one night to be found under "Ethiopi a" in the Site Index. • I drove Harris Wofford, Kennedy speechwriter Dick Goodwin, and the future ambassador to Ghana to see the Hyena Man's show, and the old Blue Jeep wouldn't start, and how we all had to push it down New in the E&E RPCVs library a little hill , toward the hyenas, which had just Members can borrow at no cost. Contact librarian bitten the faux Hyena Man ... Joe Ciuffini , 188 Cabot St , Newton MA 02158; 617/ 244-0463; [email protected]. Check our web site You know the drill. We all have our little dramas to for full contents: www.geocities.com/-eerpcv describe. TRUST is the library card. Well, Mrs . Vance 's My Ethiopia: A Memoir, as Videos folksy and benign as it reads, not only gives her "Endurance" about world-cl as s runner Haile family an exotic slice of her life, but I'd bet injera Gebrselassie, 83 minutes. Great shots of the country to wat it could serve as cue cards for us Ef;E RPCVs . side. Rated G. Her Ethiopia is not all that different from our own. • "Ethiopia: World's Greatest Train Ride Videos" - Addis to Djibouti, 53 minutes.

A tour of Addis by Almaz Sullivan (Aleta Wendo, Ethiopia 96-98) with a delightful running com­ mentary.

Peace Corps promo: Today Show 3/22/00, interview with grandmother and granddaughter PCVs . 5:13 minutes

"Time to Kill," 110 minutes. Set in 193o's Ethiopia. Story of and Italian army officer (Nicolas Cage) with rape, murder and leprosy. Rated R. •

20 THE HER ALD Delightful days on the Delaware

The 2000 E&:E RPCV reunion

The reunion at Shawnee-on-Delaware in August, For the next two days, we dined together, caught­ 2000 was great fun. More than so RPCVs and up on each other's lives, and were brought up to Ethio pia staff plus their family and friends at­ date on events in Ethiopia and Eri trea, EC.E RPCVs tended. The event started with a welcoming with presentations to the group. Leo Cecchini reception held on the wide porch of the old Pocono (Asmara 62-64) spoke of the activities of the Peace hotel - "What a joyous reunion! We were all like Initi ative Team, Ray Donaldson made a presenta­ one big family with so much in common to talk tion on the National Summit on Africa, Mary about," wrote C.J. Castagnaro (Harar; Debre Zeit; Gratiot Schultz (Mendefera 65-67) presented a Addis Ababa 65-66, 6y-69), organizer of the remembrance of Bill Olson, who died in service, event. and others told of personal experiences and current interests.

Our group was honored to have distinguished speaker from both Eritrea and Ethiopia - the Eritrean Ambassador to the USA , Semere Russom , spoke at a luncheon on Monday and Minister Counselor Fisseha Adugna of the Ethiopian Em­ bassy spoke at our luncheon on Tuesday. With the peace talks ongoing, both spoke enthusiastically of the future and their counties plans and needs. Each also spoke warmly and at length of their thanks to the Peace Corps Volunteers who had served in their countries. They had both had Peace Corps teachers, and they spoke of them with great fondness . In both cases , the speakers invited us to have a reception at their respective embassies during our celebration of the 4oth Anniversary of Eritrean Ambassador to the USA, Semere Russom the Peace Corps.

We also enjoyed viewing several videos: "Endur­ ance" about world-class runner Haile Gebrselassie (which included great shots of the country side j that brought back many memories - with all of us ( shouting out so that the other's wouldn't miss a ,.J detail); "Ethiopia: World's Greatest Train Ride Videos" - Addis to Djibouti; and a video tour of Addis made by Almaz Sullivan (Aleta Wende, d\ Ethiopia 96-98) with a delightful running com ­ mentary.

Getting together with Peace Corps friends is an unparalleled delight, and those who attended our Shawnee reunion began making plans to attend the 4oth - and for gatherings just for our group in subsequent years. Don 't miss out on the pleasures Minister Counselor Fisseha Adugna of the Ethiopian Embassy of getting together with those who truly under­ stand the Peace Corps experience and who love our Photos by Don Beil (Soma li a 64-66). countries of Ethiopia and Eritrea . • More reun ion ph otos at our web site: www .geocities.com/-eerpcv

Winter 2000/2001 21 Bona - A Full Circle Healing

by laDena Sch napper (Dessie, Awassa 63-66)

W1rn TREPIDATION, I SAID YES! The emotions resurrected might be overwhelming, but there was no way out. I knew it was time for this particular full circle experience.

So I agreed to present a travelogue on Ethiopia enacting the coffee ceremony at the Iron County Medical Care Facility in Crystal Falls, Michigan, where I now reside. Doesn't sound so outrageous, does it , especially as I had presented this cultural program many times over to various public groups.

Ah, but two challenges faced me this time. The facility was once my family residence. My father was the administrator of this nursing home from 1943 through his retirement in 197 4. This was my home until I left for college! Memories pour out of its rooms, stairwells and grounds. After each visit, though basked in the rich reminiscence of a warm loving family/institutional life, I always need to do a bit of mourning for a father who died prema­ turely and whom I miss dearly.

In honor of my father, with the love of Ethiopia in laDena surrou nded by many items from her collection of Ethiopian artifacts. my heart and hopes of deeper integration of Photo by Andy Goldman myself, I schlepped half my Ethiopian belongings

22 THE HERALD to the facility. Gloria, a friend, who assisted, asked was poured into paper demitasse cups and passed me, "Why all the stuff for here?" I explained I have to each resident with a piece of Ethiopian bread I a great need to really connect with the audience had shipped in from Washington, DC. A few whoever they may be and the clinical therapist in residents requesting seconds said, "Why can't we me believed I might be able to create a therapeutic have this kind of coffee all the time?" In asking the experience for the group. group, "What do you know about Ethiopia?" memories of the war with Italy, Haile Selassie and This was the second challenge. These were nursing images of the famine were remembered. home residents, ages 65 to 90, who for the most part had mild to moderate dementia and Naturally, Ethiopian music played in the back­ Alzheimer's Disease. Their cognitive abilities were ground; I danced the iskesta inviting the group to significantly impaired. As the Older Adult Services move their shoulders and voice the elelelele. Broad Worker for the county's mental health center, I had smiles, deep laughs and a few "Oh my, how can learned that cognition may decrease, but senses they do that?" indicated I was getting through as stay sharp. On a visceral level, real healing was later demonstrated by one of the residents experiences can still occur. In fact, studies suggest who wrote a glowing article about the event. I that creative art therapies may be the only effec­ knew that in my sharing of Ethiopia and the coffee tive and meaningful treatment outside of basic ceremony, I had touched these people in a mean­ needs care, that can be provided for persons ingful way. diagnosed with progressively degenerative dementia. Yes, afterwards I cried in gratitude for a father who taught me to care about the elderly; for the Dressed in flowing white habasha Jebs (Ethiopian incessant creative experiences I have with things dress), I created a virtual Ethiopian setting that Ethiopian; and for another full circle healing had the audience looking and asking, "What are through the coffee ceremony. • all those strange things?" My purpose was to penetrate their senses with the shapes, forms, EDITOR'S NOTES: LaDena will be presenting a colors, smells, tastes, sounds and feels of Ethiopia. traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony for members We passed around mosebs (tables), sefets (bas­ of Ethiopia f, Eritrea RPCVs as part of our celebra­ kets), teras (wooden pillows), chira (horsehair tion of the 4oth Peace Corps Anniversary, Septem­ whisks), shakla (pottery) and Jet people touch tere ber 20 to 23. buna (unroasted coffee). This was the first time In the "Our Stories" section of the Ef.E RPCV they had seen raw green coffee beans. I roasted the website, LaDena has an essay entitled "The Magic beans and encouraged each person to draw in the of Buna: A Ferengi's Healing Ritual in the Upper smoke with their hands and smell the delicious Peninsula of Michigan" that describes the coffee aroma. "Ummms" and nods of approval were ceremony. You can read it at : http:// evoked. Stored in the big Gurage jebena (coffee www. geociti es. com/ ~eerpcv I coffee . htm pot holding 75 cups), buna made in early morning

Winter 2000/2001 23 Editor's Note

The last issue of The Herald, "Winter 1999-2000 - So, I says to Marian one spring evening, "Ya wan' Number 21, Part 2," carried a banner headline on some help, hey?" (That's the years in Wisconsin the front page, "I AM TIRED -WE NEED A NEW coming out.). She says, "Absolutely." EDITOR ."

Marian Haley Beil, who served in Debre Berhan Now from 1962 to 1964, wanted to step down from doing Which brings me to this slot in the masthead. something she had done for a decade. For no pay, I should have started out the column with some­ no glory, no compensation other than the satisfac­ thing like "Marian Haley Beil Agrees to Pass Baton tion that words about Ethiopia and Eritrea were to Guy Who Was Editor of The National Locksmith," getting to the people who had spent time there in which is true, once upon a starving time. But Peace Corps over the years. honesty will out. It's a small world. Ethiopia and the Peace Corps were probably my definitive years, just as they were for many About a year ago, my wife Ronda and I moved to Ethiopia and Eritrea RPCVs . I thought so at the Rochester, New York to be closer to family and time, and my letters home, which my mother back where both of us had deep roots. One day, 1 saved, speaking in beatitudes of what I thought found in the mail a print-piece forwarded from our were part of the language of the New Frontier. previous address in Flagstaff, Arizona. It was the Reading those epistles now makes me cringe: announcement of a reunion of Ethiopia and damn, I was full of platitude and a whole pile of Eritrean RPCVs on the shores of the Delaware River sanctimonious rubbish. in September sent out by Marian. But I meant well. I just didn't know the right words Sounded interestin~, about a day's drive. Might be to describe what being in the Peace Corps, in nice to see folks I'd not seen in al most 40 Harar, Ethiopia. And I hate to feel that I should years . .. then I looked at the return address: 1 present my credentials to you like some passer-by knew the street as one I walked our dog down, the with an engraved, impressed card. But, as my street that was literally just around the corner. uncle in Tennessee said, "Never buy a pig in a After all these years . . . poke sack." Since then Marian 's editorship and publication of The Herald has been remarkable, and I insist she remain its When I left Harar in 1964, I knew whatever I was going to do it would involve writing. And it has, publisher. I am not about to assume that my for 35 years, at least. It's been nickel-dime journal­ knowledge of sources and my use of their informa­ tion will come close to hers. However, "I will," as ism, for the most part. It has never been for glory or money: there is so little out there for writers; Ben Stein says, "do my best." mainly, it has been because there are things and First , there probably should be some qualification people to write about. of perspectives. Mine is probably left-of-center. Conservatively, for example, I've probably written For a dozen years, I worked with credit unions/ about a brigade of people, about a cotillion of cooperatives in developing economies. The Peace Corps got me there and kept me, even though I subjects from saints to septic systems, and about a worked for an NGO. I find I am committed to the thousand reviews of books, plays, movies and art same ideals that I subscribed to when I was a naive stuff. Plus three books under my byline and a few graduate student at the Univers ity of Colorado in ghostly ones. And about a half-dozen newsletters. 1961.

24 THE HERALD THE HERALD

"Ask not ... " were his words at the inauguration. Editor: Hayward Allen (Harar 62-64) haven't. Design f. distribution: Marian Haley Beil (Debre So, where does that take Ef.E RPCVs with me here at Berhan 62-64) the helm of The Herald? It is not inflation, but it is quite probably the most significant publication Contributing editor - Richard Crepeau (Dessie 63- associated to the people of and the people who 65). served in Ethi opia and Eritrea. Those who have shared articles, ideas and efforts There are those groups and writers who will gloss for this issue - Leo Cecchini (Asmara 62-64), John over the various points of view that our countries Coyne (Addis Ababa 62-64), Ray Donaldson of service face . There are those that will advocate (Ambo, Debre Berhan 62-64), Laurie Kessler (Adi positions innocently, obscurely, obviously that run Teclesan 64-66), LaDena Robichaud Schnapper with the fo lks that determine American foreign (Dessie, Awassa 63-66), Clare Shea (Debre Marcos policy. There are those that will sustain radical 65-67). depositions against us or UN policy. THE HERALD wishes to thank them all. They are I see The Herald as being a forum for those views. greatly appreciated. However, I must admit that there will be times when my own bias will infiltrate either the editing or the inclusion of various points of view . If you would like to submit an artic considered for publication, it woul For me, the people come first. That is why I joined ated if it is submitted digitally - vi the Peace Corps. I thought I might make a small disk (labeled as to software and computer used difference, that I could be taught something, that I and with a hard copy). Any articles of interest to could, maybe, bring something back home that RPCVs who served in Ethiopia and Eritrea are most would prove people are okay beings, just trying to welcomed. get by and get somewhere. It's only governments and vested interests that screw the whole thing up. Photo submissions are also welcomed. They should be clear, with images large enough to be easily Whatever. The name seen on various bylines and in discerned. All photos will be returned. the masthead as editor of The Herald comes not without its prejudices and preoccupations. But it Send all to: also comes with honesty and an eagerness to listen and to respond and reciprocate others' ideas and Hayward Allen concepts, directions and analyses. 264 Garnsey Road Pittsford, NY 14534. Excuse my transliteration, but "Jgzyaber y'istellin" email: [email protected] and "Bet 'am tru-noe."

Winter 2000/2001 25 E&E RPCVs Steering Committee Support officers Other contacts Marian Haley Beil Gloria Gieseke Curtis Hayward Allen Embassy of Eritrea Ethiopia S Eritrea (Debre Berhan 62-64) (Asmara 63-65) (Harar62-64) 1708 New Hampshire RPCVs Chair, database, Membership renewals Newsletter editor Ave, NW c/o Marian Haley Beil treasurer 15670 W 64th Place 264 Garnsey Road Washington, DC 20009 4 Lodge Pole Road 4 Lodge Pole Road Arvada, CO 80007-6937 Pittsford, NY 14534 202/319-1991 Pittsford, NY 14534-4550 Pittsford, NY 14534 h f, w: 303/ 422-37 42 716/264-9162 716/223-u55 716/223-1155 [email protected] [email protected] Embassy of Ethiopia email: fax 716/223-1158 2134 Kalorama Road NW mhbei [email protected] Dave Gurr mhbei [email protected] Joe Ciuffini Washington, DC 20008 www.geocities.com/ (Addis Ababa 62-64) (Harar 64-66) 202/234-2281 -eerpcv Susan Hundt Bergan en CORPS Librarian fax: 202/483-8407 (Bahar Dar 66-68) 43u Loyola Ave 188 Cabot St e-mail: Peace Corps Collection 7144 Parman Terrace Alexandria, VA 22304 Newton, MA 02158 [email protected] John F. Kennedy Library Madison, WI 53711 703/370-2553 617/244-0463 www.nicom.com/ Columbia Point 608/264-6032 fax: 703/370-1861 [email protected] -ethiopia Boston, MA 02125 [email protected] [email protected] 617 /929-4524 Dennis Ekberg (Ghion National Peace Corps C.J. Smith Castagnaro Gerry Hoffman 62-64) Association (NPCA) Books for Africa (Harar; Debre Zeit; (Mekele 63-65) Webmaster 1900 L St, NW, Suite 205 5233 Silver Maple Circle Addis Ababa 65-66, 445 Third Street 3130 NW Nyssa Court Washington, DC 20036 Minneapolis, MN 55343 67-69) Brooklyn, NY 11215-2983 Beaverton, OR 97006 202/293-7728 email: [email protected] Reunions 718/768-8518 503/690-0447 fax: 202/293-7554 www.booksforafrica.org 3642 North Garey #1 [email protected] fax: 503/690-2495 email: Pomona, CA 9176r1100 dekberg@tel eport. com [email protected] Judy Smith 909/392-9734 www.rpcv.org [email protected] (Asmara 6r65) Wayne Kessler 7628 17th St NW (Adi Teclesan 64-66) Peace Corps Leo Cecchini Washington DC 20012 enCORPS Eritrea repre­ Ill! 20th St NW (Asmara 62-64) 202/882-3021 sentative Washington, DC 20526 Peace Initiative smarma [email protected] PO Box 2967 800/ 424-8580 GIA Asmara, Eritrea www.peacecorps.gov Jim Solomon PO Box 3274 phone f, fax: 291 1 125145 Returned Volunteer (Massawa, Jimma 63- Mclean, VA 22103-327 4 [email protected] Services - 202/692- 65) 718/8w4248 1430; Fellows/USA - 28484 Mission Blvd [email protected] 202/692-1440, #304 [email protected]; John Coyne Hayward, CA 94544 Crisis Corps - 202/ (Addis Ababa 62-64) 510/538-9889 692-2250; Post­ Steering Committee lsj63@ix. netcom. com service medical Book Locker Project benefits - 202/692- 99 Reed Avenue Pelham Manor, NY 1540 10803 914/738-8212 fax 914/738-8211 [email protected]

26 THE HERALD Decoding the mailing label Send your email The date on the mailing label indicates when address to E&E your membership in ETHIOPIAf, ERITREARPCVs (Ef.E RPCYs RPCVs) expires. Facilitate communica­ tion, especially for Recently returned PCVs receive one year free reconnecting with membership. Th eir label will have a date followed Visit our friends and former by "New RPCV" - the date being when the free website students, and to receive membership expires. Dennis Ekberg main­ occasional news tains an extensive updates. "Expired" means your membership has expired website for our group at since the publication of the previous issue of The Send your email address www.geocities.com/ Herald. PLEASE renew and support the group. to : -eerpcv. Find "Our Stories, " links to news "Trial • 22" indicates we thought you might be [email protected] interested in learning what Ef.E RPCVs does and in sources, announce­ seeing our newsletter. Perhaps you 'd like to join ments and a listing of us? those who served as PCVs in Ethiopia and Married couples - One of your names has been Eritrea by their training arbitrarily sel ected to receive the newsletter to group to facilitate save duplication. Please don 't fee l left out if you reconnecting. name is n't on the label.

ETHIOPIA & ERITREA RPCVs membership $40 Annual Dues (which include $25 National Peace Corps Association Name membership dues)

Address $15 If you are currently a paying member of the National Peace Corps Association

1 year free membership to newly City, state, zip, country E-mail address returned RPCVs

Name when in the Peace Corps if different from above Make your check payable to: Ethiopia f. Eritrea RPCVs Home phone Work phone Please send to : Home fax Work fax Ethiopia f, Eritrea RPCVs Dates of Peace Corps-Ethiopia or Eritrea service City/town of service c/o Marian Haley Beil 4 Lodge Pole Road Group• Training si te Type of program Pittsford, NY 14534-4550

Other Peace Corps service - as staff or volunteer - and dates

Winter 2000/ 2001 27 eserve a room now for the 40th

Ethiopia £. Eritrea RPCVs has selected the Hotel Washington to e its recommended hotel for the 4oth Anniversary Conference September 20 to 23 . The hotel is centrally located at the corner of 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue just a block from the White House. It has also been designated "Conference Central" for the hosting group, the National Peace Corps Association. It has wonderful rooftop terrace that overlooks the White House on one end and a great view of the Wash ington monu­ ment at the other.

Room rates: $119 for a single and $145 for a double.

To get this special discount rate, and make reservations , contact Meeting Solutions, Monday-Thursday, 8:30 am - 5:30 pm, and Friday 9 am - 5:30 pm, eastern time.

Call toll free: 1-800-503-3330 Email : [email protected] Let them know you are with the NPCA/Peace Corps group.

Do not contact the hotel directly. You will not get the special rate.

For more about the conference see "4oth Birthday Party" on pages 14 to 15.

Ethiopia & Eritrea RPCVs FIRST-CLASS MAIL U.S. POSTAGE c/o Marian Haley Beil PAID 4 Lodge Pole Road Leesburg, FL Pittsford, NY 14534-4550 Permit No. 1040

Address service requested